Drink of the Week: Ska Brewing’s Malbec Stout

Grape versus grain? Who cares, Ska Brewing has the best of both in one
beverage: Malbec Stout.

Brewed with both Cluster hops and malbec grape must, Malbec Stout is
unassumingly delicious. The color is pitch black with a rocky espresso-tinged
head. There’s a touch of coffee-like roast on the nose — as if the beer doesn’t
want to betray its secrets. Those you’ll find with a sip: dark, roasty malts
edging on bitter chocolate with the must coating the lips and gums. The malbec
shows up most prominently on the back, outlasting the stout with a hit of dark
fruit and a palate-cleansing tannic quality.

Wine/beer hybrids aren’t new, but they’re also tricky to pull off. And
though Malbec Stout leans a little heavier on ale qualities (using malbec as a
supporting player rather than a competing lead), the resulting beverage manages
to stand tall.